Practical Home Theater:
A Guide to Video and Audio SystemsAvailable in both print and Kindle editions
21st Edition, dated 2023.
This edition will remain in print indefinitely, next update TBA.
Click the links below to be certain you're getting the latest one.
Order print from Amazon
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Order from a bookstoreRead more about the book
Read more about the author
Read what the critics are saying
Visit Mark's homepage
ISBN-13: 978-1-932732-24-5
ISBN-10: 1-932732-24-1
Price: USD $19.95, CAD $25.95,
UK £14.95, EU €16.95, AUD $27.95
Inside Mark Fleischmann's
Practical Home Theater
• How to buy 4K UHDTV and surround gear
• Do you need 8K UHDTV?
• Interpreting TV, speaker & amplifier specs
• Smart TV and streaming from mobile devices
• Buying Blu-ray, DVRs, satellite, antenna gear
• Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround standards
• How many surround speakers are enough?
• The truth about premium cables
• How to set up a home theater system
• What to check when things go wrong
About the bookHow can an average person navigate the maze of audio/video technologies in a home theater system? Turn to Mark Fleischmann's Practical Home Theater: A Guide to Video and Audio Systems. The 21st edition is the 20th anniversary edition.
The ultimate answer book, it tells you everything you need to know when shopping for 4K or 8K UHDTV, regular HDTV, and surround sound gear including how to read a spec sheet, how to separate fact from hype, and how to get good value for your money. The book weighs the pros and cons of video display technologies such as LED-backlit LCD in its many forms, plasma, and projection systems, plus next-generation OLED displays. It dispels the confusion surrounding such topics as Ultra HDTV and HDR, refresh rates, exotic screen shapes, smart TV, and the new HDMI 2.1.
The book goes into depth about the new Dolby Atmos surround standard. It also explains the differences between other Dolby, DTS, THX, and Audyssey surround technologies as well as high-resolution audio downloads. It covers all formats under the sun including Blu-ray and DVD, DVRs, streaming from a multitude of devices, and wireless connectivity. And it explores often ignored topics such as buying a DTV antenna, power-line accessories, and cables. A richly detailed connections chapter tells how to hook up every component.
By knowledgably guiding readers through the briar patch of video and audio, Practical Home Theater has become the standard reference work for home theater buffs. This edition is dated 2022 and will be sold until the next edition is announced. Readers are warned to buy only the latest edition. Future annual editions will continue to track changes in home theater technology.
About the authorAuthor of Practical Home Theater and The Friendly Audio Guide, Mark has been a technology writer, reviewer, and expert on home theater for more than 40 years. He has served as founding editor-in-chief of etown.com, audio editor of Sound & Vision and its predecessor Home Theater, senior editor of Video Magazine, audio critic of Rolling Stone, and columnist for Audio Video Interiors, DigitalTrends.com, Premiere, and The Village Voice. His writing has appeared in Bloomberg Personal, CrutchfieldAdvisor.com, Details, Entertainment Weekly, The Men's Journal, Newsday, Spin, The Washington Post, and many other publications. He has lived in New York City since 1975. Visit Mark's homepage.
What the critics are saying"If you've been looking to have all your home theater questions answered in one place, this book will do it."
—Brian C. Fenton, Sound & Vision"Practical Home Theater ... succeeds as both a primer on existing technology and a preview of emerging technology like digital television.... For less than the cost of a DVD, it'll remove the power of intimidation from your home theater."
—Kevin Hunt, The Hartford Courant"Seasoned journalist Mark Fleischmann ... loves the subject and glories in its highest possibilities. But he also knows mere mortals are not tech experts and can't afford to spend more for their TV set than their car."
—Jonathan Takiff, Philadelphia Daily News" ... A sweeping guide.... Affords much useful information in an accessible tone. Just as any shopper would need to do, he breaks down home theater into the manageable topics of television, surround sound, picture and sound sources, accessories and connections."
—Lawrence B. Johnson, The Detroit News/USA Today"His somewhat avuncular tone ... will appeal to those who are completely raw to the inputs and outputs of home theatre but appreciate the advantage of some intelligence. If nothing else, you may get to show up the mass-market retailer peddling home theatre, or perhaps hold your own against the specialist retailer."
—Paul Best, The Age (Australia)"Mark is well qualified to write about this subject.... An excellent primer for consumers, retailers and manufacturers.... It's both enjoyable and educational at the same time."
—Steve Smith, This Week In Consumer Electronics"If you're interested in building a home theater you'd be doing yourself a favor by checking out [this] book."
—Grant Clauser, E-Gear